Cigar tray



Patented July 29, 1930 CHRISTOPHER?. BACKMYER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS CIGAR TRAY Application led ,August 10, 1925. Serial No. 49,334.

My invention relates to a smokers tray or support, and particularly to av tray or support for cigars. One object of my invent-ion is to provide a cigar tray in which the cigar shall be supported substantially above and out of contact with the bottom of the tray. Another Objectis theL provision of a tray in which the cigar shall contact the supporting members at a minimum of points or throughout a minimum area. Another object is the provision of a cigar tray in which a minimum surface or proportion of the tray shall be subjected to the heat of combustion of the cigar. Other objects will appear from time to time in the course of the specification and drawings. V

I illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings wherein Y Figure 1 isa perspective of one form of my device; Figure 2 Figure 1;

Figure through a variant form of my device;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a third form of my device;

Figure 5 is a section Aon the'line 5-5 'of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a perspective of \a variant application of my invention.

Like parts are illustrated by like symbols 'throughout the specification and drawings Referring to Figure 1 I illustrate a cigar tray comprising a trough or body port-ion consisting of a bottom A and the side walls A1. The side walls are outwardly turned at their tops as at A'2 to receive and to serve 4o as tracks for the recurved iange members B of the cigar support proper.l The/'members B are joined by a plurality of generaly arcuate cigar supporting blades B1 which, as shown in Figure 2 are provided with the teeth or serrations B2 and which in the form shown in Figure 3 are smooth edged. The cigar supporting trough is closed at one end at the wall C which is of such height as to errnit the clearance of the members B1. At the other end of the cigar tray is the enlarged is a section on the line 2-2 of 3 is a section similar to Figure 2 ash receiving member D herein shown as of generally circular form.

' Referring to Figure 4, forl the supporting blades B1 I substitute a plurality of lwires or pins E which project'upwardly from the 55 bottom of the tray. It will be noted that the central pins are shorter than the outer pins, thus preventing the cigar from rolling from its support. The pins may if desired be blunt ended but are preferably suiiciently sharp slightly to penetrate the cigar in order to hold the cigar more firmly in position.

Referring to Figure 6 I illust-rate a pluralityof cigar tray members M mounted about the periphery of a large ash tray M1 05 which may be mounted on the usual pedestal 0r support M2 and may be vprovided with a match box holder M3.

It will be realized that whereas I have shown a practical and operative device, and several modifications thereof, that many changes may be made in the size, shape, number and disposition of parts Without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore wish my drawings and description to 75 be taken as in abroad sense illustrative or diagrammatic, and not aslimiting meto my specic showing herein. j A The use and operation of my invention are as follows: l

I providea cigar tray or cigar support in which the cigar is supported above and out of contact with the bottomvof the tray. In my preferred form I support the cigar upon a plurality of downwardly arched serrated sa edged blades of any suitable material, preferably metal. Owing to the differences in curvature of the cigar itself and the supporting members the cigar will restupon the tips of a small-number of'teeth or serrations of 90 each supporting blade. As alternatives I may support the cigar upon a plane edged or arcuate edged metal blade, or, as shown in Figures 4 and 5 upon either a single pin point, or upon a plurality of upwardly projecting in points or wires. If the wires are sharp pointed they may slightly penetrate the cifrar kbut will not sufficiently puncture it to affect the draft. The outer pins may be made of greater height than the inner, or the cigar ffli may be impaled upon the points in order to prevent it from rolling laterally off the tray. Whatever specific means I may employ for supporting the cigar, it is important that it contact the cigar over an extremely small area. I prefer to break up the area of support into minute points of contact. By so doing I substantially eliminate the possibility of fouling the cigar through contact With a dusty or dirty or gummed supporting members. Where a relatively extended supporting surface is employed as ordinarily used in the manufacture of cigar trays, the surface gathers dust; also, if the cigar burns down, the surface beneath it is discolored and a mixture of dust, ashes, saliva, nicotine and the juice of the tobacco, or of some of them, is deposited thereon. If a metal is used, or a non-vitreous surface, it is likely to sweat, upon the too; close approach of the heat of the burning cigar, and what is practically a slag of communicable dust and ashes and other forms of impurities. These impurities readily adhere' to the moistmouthpicce of the cigar and thence are carried into the mouth of the smoker. In other words, by supporting the cigar upon a minute point or points rather than upon a surface of relatively large unbroken area, I eliminate the danger of carrying dust germs and other disagreeable or detrimental substances into the smokers mouth, by keeping the mouthpiece of the cigar practically free from Contact While resting upon the tray. The heat of the cigar may also burn ofi' the finish, when a finish is used, or may tend'to fuse the metal surface, and to produce productsof combustion which affect the flavor of the cigar and which may under some circumstances be injurious to the health of the smoker. All these unpleasant effects are eliminated by supporting the cigar on isolated points. The area of these points is such that no perceptible amount of dust or dirt or ashes can be gathered thereon and contamination of thel cigar and the transmission of such contamination to the smokers mouth are thus substantially eliminated.

In the form of Figure l I illustrate a tray `having a somewhat enlarged ash receiver at one end and a single more or less restricted cigar supportmgsec'tion proj ectingtherefrom.

` Obviously I may eliminate the enlarged ash holder entirely, having the cigar support of substantially the same Width from end to end. 0r, as in Figure 6, I may employ a considerably larger ash receiving center or bowl with one or more of the cigar supporting members mounted upon it. d

In the form shown in Figure l the cigar contacting portion is removable from the rest of the tray, for example by sliding the grooved member B olf the body portion on and a plurality of sharply pointed spaced cigar engaging members positioned thererendering the tray easy upon adapted to receive and support the ci- I gar on such points. y

3. A cigar tray including a tray body and an enlarged ash receiving portion at one end thereof and in free communication therewith, a cigar supporting member slidably mounted upon said tray body and a plurality of sharp edged blades extending transversely across said member and across the tray body, said blades lying in vertical planes, the lower edges thereof being spaced substantially above the bottom of the tray body.

4. A cigar tray including a tray body and l an enlarged ash receiving portion at one end thereof and 1n free communicatlon therewith, a clgar supportmg member slidably `mounted upon said tray body and a plurality of sharp edged serrated blades extending transversely across said member and across the tray body, said blades lying in vertical p'lanes,'the lower edges thereof being spaced substantially above the bottom of the tray body.

5. A anda plurality of sharply pointed spaced cigar engaging members positioned thereupon, adapted to receive and support the cigar on such points, said pointed members being'arranged in a plurality of longitudinally. spaced groups.

G. In a cigar tray, an ash receiving member and a cigar supporting member associated therewith, the ash receiving member being of substantially greater Width than the cigar supporti vmember, a cigar supporting means, positioned above" the bottom of the cigar supportingvmmber, comprising a plurality of transverse metallic blades, the blades lying in'verticalplanes, their lower edges lbeing spacedl substantially above the bottom of the cigar supporting member, such blades being adapted to support a cigar with the lighted end overlying the ash receiving portion, the upper edges of said blades being arcute and serrate Signed at Chicago, county of Cook and State lof Illinois, this 5th day of August, 1925.

CHRISTOPHER F. BACKMYER.

cigar tray comprising a tray body V100 lll 

